Booking.com scam hotel

[Willowlondoner]

Hello,

I've booked a hotel in Italy for a couple of days via booking.com. Great reviews, booked a junior suite, looks wonderful. The reviews are so good, who cares that it isn't cancellable right!?

Anyway, after checking the google reviews (after booking), the reviews are awful. Most reviews say it's a scam on booking.com, the rooms are nowhere near the advertised address's where you collect your key, the photographs are of an entirely different hotel, many people's items were stolen from their room. They demand a deposit and it takes months to return.. obviously I won't be staying there but as it's entirely different to what was advertised on booking.com I'm wondering how likely it may be that I get a refund.

I've sent an email so far and plan to call later today. Anybody ever experienced anything positive regarding their customer service?

Man thanks

I don't think you'll get very far with Booking.com. They are essentially an aggregate site and are very clear that your contract is with the individual hotel (voice of experience here). You might have better luck getting a charge back from your bank if you can prove that the hotel details are inaccurate.

How do you know the google reviews are right and the booking reviews are wrong? You sure you put the right place into google?

Did you read the most recent booking.com reviews? They are usually pretty accurate in my experience. Booking.com have been quite good at responding when I’ve had an issue but it’s usually been after the stay.

There was a piece on exactly this situation on TV last week, I can’t remember what show now…rip off Britain from Friday I think it might’ve been.

people were getting messages from booking.com but in actual fact they were from scammers but looked very genuine. It is seemingly quite easy for scammers to infiltrate the booking.com system and put fake properties on. And booking.com didn’t seem to be taking much responsibility for it sadly.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001zqpw

this was it in case you wanted to watch it

I had issues with booking.com, again in Italy. Luckily, I had booked a holiday apartment which was advertised as pay on arrival, only to be bombarded with messages from the owner a few weeks in advance, threateningly and insistently asking for the CVC number on my card RIGHT NOW or they would cancel the booking. Booking.com were as much use as a chocolate teapot, frankly. In the end I threw up my hands and said "OK, bloody well cancel the booking then!", which they did. So I wasn't out of pocket, but did have to find alternative accommodation in Rome over the Easter weekend with a few weeks notice, which wasn't the easiest.

Thanks all,

The reviews on google are more believable to me. There are 100s that come from people who have written many other reviews and just seem more believable, vs just a few on booking.com that all say how wonderful the hotel is.

Thank you for the advice. I've just booked a new hotel out of pocket and I'll try and get a refund.

It wasn't especially expensive but the high number of theft accusations really freak me out.

On the bright side OP you’ve realised now and got something else sorted rather than turning up and being disappointed!

Had a fantastic experience of a scam villa near the dead sea in Jordan. 30 minutes of stress driving round looking for it as the owner had not given us the full address. Found it based on the photos and just showing it to strangers in the street for directions. Got there and it was half a building site with a bunch of kids playing football inside. We ended up booking a 4* hotel instead and due to some aligning of the algorithm it was only £70 for a suite. When we had seen that hotel before our holiday it was advertised at £400 for the dates we wanted!